Family Matters: Papers in Post-Confederation Canadian Family History

Elaine G. Porter is an associate professor of sociology at Laurentian
University.

This edited volume is similar to most contemporary social historical
writing. Its goal is to unearth the diversity in past family life using
the widest possible definition of family. The difference lies in the
editors’ claim that most other books are written from a critical
perspective on the family, whereas in contrast, they have sought to
counterpose the “prescriptive norms and definitions of family”
posited by feminists against “the lived reality and diversity of
family life.” For example, Chambers and Montigny have stated, as one
of their goals, their desire to portray fathers as other than
“villain.” What the book contains on men is their half of the story,
not a new writing that challenges feminist perspective.

The purported new ideas of family history have been poured into the old
bottles of the functionalist life-cycle approach, one of the least
diverse paradigms. In doing so, the editors were likely seeking some
coherence among the diversity of material within the 24 chapters of this
book. Historical time period certainly would not be the common
denominator, as the time periods vary considerably from the mid–19th
century to as recent as the 1990s.

All contortions due to the restrictive packaging aside, Family Matters
provides interesting views of a variety of topics (the fight to
establish a cooperative daycare centre at the University of Toronto, the
use of children’s rights as political rhetoric), wrestles with the
definition of family underlying the struggle for same-sex spousal
benefits, and includes several chapters on the care of the elderly.
Chambers and Montigny argue that reproduction has been defined as the
only family function.

The real strength of this volume is the emphasis given to
state–family relationships. All but four chapters are original pieces,
and most show how some aspect of the larger social environment—the
legal system, social and material needs, institutional policies, or the
media—has formulated the issues within which families have attempted
to meet their needs. This volume unearths historical records that
contribute new historical insights that thankfully go beyond the
editors’ expressed goals.